Program Start Dates: TBD
Land acknowledgement and cultural landscape translation of Southern California tribes is a practice tens of thousand years old. Like the birds, Southern California Tribes share maritime and island stories. Program looks to convene Tongva/ Puyumkowitchum/ Chumash/ Acjachemen and Kumeyaay stories to further our knowledge of the So Cal Maritime story. Open to adults 18 years and up. An older teenager may attend, but must be accompanied by an Adult.

A small group (8-10 people). Our aim is to accommodate all whom have sincere interest in the fellowship. Full scholarship is available for this program.

SCUBA training and subsequent diving experience to introduce the marine environment highlighting diving skills. Scientific methods by Reef Check Citizen Scientists and Native Like Water will actively collect data in the kelp forest habitat along the West Coast of North America. Cultural Round Circle of Indigenous Knowledge is supported by a grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy.

Program has ended, preparing for second levels.

Indigenous Knowledge: Invited Presentations by people of the Tongva/ Puyumkowitchum/ Chumash/ Acjachemen and Kumeyaay knowledge bearers provide a talk story round circle opportunity of neighboring coastal tribes. Each contain stories tens of thousand years old. Reuniting this knowledge, informally, program aims to provide thought about habitat and cultural restoration. This is a shift in the landscape from an invasive species approach to providing room for the native species to grow and flourish and provide an opportunity for revived coastal lifestyle. This begins with sharing knowledge. The vital path and principal of regeneration, environmental justice, is survival. Perhaps we can help understand climate change and rising seas. There is nothing new under the sun. #timeimmemorial #sincecreation

Over the last 20 years of our program, we have hosted tribal youth and adults from all parts of California and beyond for our summer and international programs. We continue to seek out local knowledge and stories beyond the traditional Tule boats that we have seen recently re-introduced locally in San Diego. One area we continue to seek cultural lessons and guidance is to neighboring coastal tribes of the Ajcachemen, Puyumkowitchum, Tongva, Chumash and the Channel Islands.

Unfortunately, access to the local islands right off shore in San Diego, i.e. Coronado and San Clemente are limited for political reasons or restrictions from U.S. Navy, etc. With limited information to go on, locally in San Diego, we have interacted with members of Chumash and Tongva who work with the Tomol Societies as both in-house mentors and visits to their territory. All with the goal of learning more and get further insight into San Diego paddle, canoe, or ocean going ways. The idea of ocean coastal conservation and traditional maritime ways may hold hands in this story.

Since covid put things to a halt in 2020, NLW downsized the service numbers and began a NLW Fellowship featuring a small group of mostly young adults and intergenerational knowledge bearers. We began along the Nahua Coast (Central Mexico) last March and continued through Baja and Southern California this past summer. The focus has been on improving ocean and safety skills for our Fellowship. In addition, improving our cultural knowledge of the areas and the interconnectedness that comes with living along the Pacific Coast and sharing in similar currents, travel, cultures.

This October we are presented with an opportunity to get SCUBA certified on Catalina Island by a third party non-profit, Reef Check, who is supporting our logistical and instructional stay at Emerald Bay. NLW has carved out a couple nights and block hours of "cultural grounding" so we may better understand the land, ocean, and culture we will be at. This is standard for everything NLW does, as we are almost entirely hosted by local tribal people wherever we go on Turtle Island. This is always a point of great honor and understanding.

In our Fellowship group, NLW intention is to also bring local San Diego Kumeyaay, Luiseno and Cahuilla cultural bearers with us to Pimu, so we could learn in a shared environment and exchange story. This, I feel, will help us bring a greater knowledge base as a Fellowship and to our local San Diego, greater Southern California community and beyond. This component of the program is possible with a grand by California State Coastal Conservancy

Cultural & Knowledge Bearers NLW honored to share circle with on Pimu:

Miztlayolxochitl Aguilera (Tongva/ Gabrileño)
Richard Bugbee (Payómkawichum/ Luiseño )
Gabriel Lopez (Acjachemen /Juaneño)
Stan Rodriguez (Kumeyaay-Ipai)
Steve Villa (Chumash)
Duan De Soto (Hawaiian)
John Suhar (European - WSL PURE Conservationist and Ally)